Birria de Pollo (Chicken Birria)
Birria de Pollo (Chicken Birria) is a smoky, robust chicken stew simmered in a blend of guajillo, ancho, and árbol chiles with fire-roasted tomatoes and warm spices. Tender shredded chicken soaks up the vibrant broth, finished with fresh onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Serve it hot with crispy tortilla strips for a comforting meal on cool evenings or weekend gatherings.
- Prep30 mins
- Cook40 mins
- Serves6
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Birria de Pollo (Chicken Birria), not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 62 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 25 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 93 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 41
- Heart Health
- 85
- Metabolic
- 44
- Digestive
- 37
- Inflammatory
- 60
- Performance
- 57
- General Wellness
- 1
Assemble all the ingredients.
- 2
Pour the chicken broth into a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and add the dried chiles. Cover and let stand until the chiles have softened, about 10 minutes.
- 3
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add 3 of the onion quarters, reserving the last quarter for later, along with the garlic. Cook, turning once, until charred, about 6 minutes.
- 4
Take the pot off the heat (do not wipe it out), and transfer the onion and garlic to a blender. Add the chicken broth, chiles, tomatoes, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, oregano, pepper, and cloves. Secure the blender lid, remove the center piece to let steam escape, and cover the opening with a clean towel. Blend until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- 5
Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl.
- 6
Season the chicken with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the large pot and heat over medium-high. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
- 7
Pour the blended chile mixture over the chicken and add the bay leaf. Cover and cook over medium-low until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.
- 8
Meanwhile, chop the remaining onion quarter. Set aside.
- 9
Uncover the pot, discard the bay leaf, and remove the chicken from the chile mixture to shred it. Divide the shredded chicken evenly among 6 bowls, ladle the soup over the chicken, top with the reserved chopped onion, tortilla strips, if desired, and cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.
- Calories 313.31 kcal Moderate 16%
- Protein 33.85 g Good Source 68%
- Carbohydrate 20.65 g 8%
- Total Fat 11.84 g Moderate 15%
- Saturated Fat 1.08 g Moderate 5%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 82.77 mg High 28%
- Sodium 855.18 mg High 37%
- Dietary Fiber 5.85 g Good Source 21%
- Total Sugars 3.46 g --
- Added Sugars 0.05 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 64.94 mg Low Source 5%
- Iron 3.93 mg Good Source 22%
- Potassium 368.83 mg Low Source 8%
- Vitamin A 167.89 mcg Moderate 19%
- Vitamin C 21.72 mg Good Source 24%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Corn 🌽
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Birria de Pollo (Chicken Birria) is a Mexican dinner recipe made with 19 ingredients. It takes about 1 hr 10 mins, serves 6, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Apple Cider Vinegar, Black Pepper, Canola Oil, and Chicken Breast. Each serving provides about 313.31 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Birria de Pollo (Chicken Birria)?
- It is a Mexican recipe made with 19 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch or soup.
- What is Birria de Pollo (Chicken Birria) made of?
- The main ingredients are Apple Cider Vinegar, Black Pepper, Canola Oil, Chicken Breast, Chicken Broth. The full list of 19 is above.
- What goes well with Birria de Pollo (Chicken Birria)?
- Explore these Mexican side-dish recipes.
- How long does it take to make Birria de Pollo (Chicken Birria)?
- About 1 hr 10 mins in total: 30 mins to prepare and 40 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 313.31 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Birria de Pollo (Chicken Birria) easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 19 ingredients and 9 steps.
- Is Birria de Pollo (Chicken Birria) healthy?
- Birria de Pollo (Chicken Birria) has an easyChef Pro health score of 58/100. Per serving, it provides 313.31 calories and 33.85 g of protein, or 68% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber, iron and vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 855.18 mg (37% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 1.08 g (5% of the Daily Value). It contains Corn, Tomatoes, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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